Bagels are especially appealing to persons in need of a quick breakfast and the calorie conscious because they are ready to use, are filling, and are fat free. They are generally prepared at the points of sale, namely small retail bagel shops.
They are usually prepared by the following method: (1) preparing a raw dough, (2) shaping the raw dough into an annular form, (3) steaming or kettling the raw dough, and (4) baking the raw dough. This method produces a bread product having a thin substantially dense hard crust surrounding a soft porous interior. A variety of dough is used, including plain, pumpernickel, egg and onion flavored dough. The exteriors of some bagels are spiced with salt, poppy seed or sesame seed before baking. The different treatments causes complexity in bagel shops. Moreover, the diversity of bagels and baking times commonly result in purchasers waiting for bagels.
Other than differences in dough, and the addition of salts or spices, the various bagels are essentially similar dough products. After baking, they are generally converted into sandwiches or enhanced with edible substances, such as cream cheese, butter, margarine, jams or preserves. Slicing their thin hard crust requires high efforts and very sharp knives, frequently causing serious injuries, commonly referred to as “bagel thumb injuries.” Adding cream cheese and other spreads is messy and requires frequent cleaning of workplaces, clothing, and knives.
Apparatus and methods for adding edible fillings to dough-like products exist in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,178 discloses an apparatus and method for injecting radially spaced discrete spots of filling material, such as, cream or jelly into a raw dough product, prior to cooking the product. U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,527 discloses an apparatus and method for adding an annular shaped filling of cream cheese to a raw bagel dough. Neither of these references teach or suggest adding an edible filling to an existing bagel at a point of sale.